Search terms

Communities shining with light

The port city of Corpus Christi on the Gulf of Mexico in Texas has always been dominated by the magnificent steel through-arch bridge across the bay.

For anyone who grew up locally, the Corpus Christi harbor bridge was an ever-present backdrop that helped shape their identity and was an object of widespread affection and veneration. But as times got tougher the lights on the Corpus Christi Harbor bridge went out and a nocturnal landmark disappeared.

It’s a distinction for us, so our residents now look at it as something that is a sense of pride. Not only were they environmentally efficient, they’re going to be cost effective.”

Nelda Martinez

Mayor of Corpus Christi

Happily it’s now back and with the help of thousands of energy-saving and environmentally-friendly LEDs, it’s infinitely more striking than ever before. An exciting new project to re-illuminate the structure, in which the city authorities worked in partnership with Philips, gave the Corpus Christi harbor bridge a makeover by treating it as a living work of art. They didn’t just demonstrate how personalized LED-empowered lighting in cities can transform a space – they created a vibrant attraction that allowed this industrial design jewel to show itself in a new, 21st century guise. Multi-colored lights now pick out the contours of the bridge in a beautiful, ever-changing, ultra-modern display that has become a tourist attraction in its own right and revitalized the area. Because the locals love the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge so much, it has even boosted the fortunes of one local photographer who now uses the bridge as a dramatic outdoor studio.

11,000

Lighting new paths

Corpus Mayor Nelda Martinez helped the Philips partnership come to fruition, and she beams with pride about the Philips lights on the Harbor Bridge. She also has a prestigious “first” title. Click to find out what that is and more about her city.

Lighting new paths

Corpus Mayor Nelda Martinez helped the Philips partnership come to fruition, and she beams with pride about the Philips lights on the Harbor Bridge. She also has a prestigious “first” title. Click to find out what that is and more about her city.

An impressive resume

Martinez is the first Hispanic female to be elected Mayor of Corpus Christi. Her Texan roots run deep, with her family in the state since before it became a republic in 1836. She is also a successful businesswoman, running businesses such as her family’s scrap metal company, Altas Iron and Metal.

Bridging a future

Originally built in the 1950s, the bridge went dark for more than a decade. Now, with these new lights, Martinez says, “I think the narrative has changed about our bridge. It’s no longer a utilitarian piece. It’s not only part of our history, but now we have these beautiful lights and a conversational piece. I think it’s also reflective of the growth that we have in our city. The future is very bright, just about as bright as those lights are on our bridge and we’ve seen significant growth.”

A brighter partnership

Martinez is happy about the partnership with Philips. “Philips is a pioneer in what I call cutting edge technology. So this was something that really elevated us to a level beyond where we’d ever think we’d be with lights in our community. I think that Philips, they were top notch professionals.”